The Ceremony
by OrangeFanana
Summary: "When we are young, every one of us meets our Loftwing under the great Statue of the Goddess" A gift to andipanda1112. Enjoy!


**A gift to andipanda1112 for getting to 100****th**** review on my other story, The Wolf of Twilight. Thanks again, and I hope you like it! Gaepora's POV. (Sorry if it gets a little confusing, I don't write much in first person)**

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I walked briskly down the hallway, towards my five year old daughter's room. My newly made robes felt smooth on my skin, which had just been scrubbed down just a few moments ago. It was still tinged slightly red, which I hoped would soon disappear before the ceremony.

As I made my way down, I saw Pipit and Karane talking about who knows what. They were the oldest of the academy, but only by one year. They had only just begun their studies, and were already showing signs of bright, young students.

Finally arriving at my dear Zelda's room, I knocked on the door twice. "Just a minute!" I heard Zelda say, though it was muffled. Something slammed shut (most likely the dresser), and then the door was swung open, revealing my little princess.

She had on a pink little dress, laced at the hem and collar. A thin white ribbon wrapped around her waist, which was somehow tied into a neat knot at the back. Her golden hair was down, and lay sprawled against her back.

"Ready, daddy! But first, we need to get Link, 'member?" she said in her cheery voice. Before I could respond, she grabbed my pointer finger, and started to drag me down the hall. Not wanting to damper her good mode, I allowed her to drag me along, even if it meant getting odd looks for Pipit and Karane.

Going down the stairs was a bit dangerous, and I almost tripped. But I caught myself before I could fall on my darling daughter. She didn't seem to notice though, just concentrating on getting to her best friend's room as fast as she could.

As soon as we arrived at Link's door, she didn't even bother knocking and just barged in, letting go of my finger in the process. Following her inside, I wasn't surprised to find the boy still sleeping, his body not even under the covers. Instead, he just lay on his stomach, face-first into the pillow.

"Link, c'mon, wake up! This is the big day, remember?" Zelda was shouting in his ear, shaking his shoulder in an attempt to awaken him.

After no reaction from him whatsoever, she continued to shake him, but this time harder. Finally, he groaned and tried to push away Zelda, but she didn't give up. He repositioned himself so he lay on his side, facing away from Zelda.

This angered Zelda, and she grabbed with her dainty hand his shoulder, pushing him on his back. Climbing on the bed, she sat down on his stomach, and moved so her face was inches away from his.

"Link, wake up!" she screamed directly at him. He groaned, and slowly peeked through his eyelids, only to find another pair of eccentric blue eyes staring down at him. He yelped, and tried to jump back, but couldn't with the additional weight on him.

"Well good, you're awake!" Zelda said happily. She slid off him, jumping to the ground with a soft 'thump'.

Link sat up slowly, rubbing his head and yawning, still half asleep. He blinked, clearing away his drowsiness, and turned to look at my Zelda. He seemed to want to glare, but was too nice for it. Zelda just smiled at him, her hands behind her back.

"Link, get dressed! We have to be at the Goddesses statue in twenty minutes, and you're still in bed!" Zelda ordered, her mood changing. She placed her hands on her hips, looking at Link with a stern expression. Link just looked at her, obviously confused on why they had to go to a statue.

"Link, did you forget?" Zelda asked. Seeing Link's blank stare, she continued excitedly. "It's the day we get out Loftwings!" She almost squealed at the last part.

Link brightened, clearly remembering the important event. I took the time to step in between the two, and said, "Come, princess, he needs to get ready."

Zelda pouted, but said, "Fine. But you better be ready in five minutes, mister, or else!" she threatened, pointing a finger at him. Then, she turned around and marched out, chin in the air. I sighed; hopefully I could save her mood.

Link just stared at her as she left, and then shook his head. I had to agree with him there; if there was one confusing thing, it was women.

"I'll leave you to it then." I said calmly. "Meet us at the doors as soon as you can, alright?" I turned and left the room, closing the door behind me.

Going to the door, I could see a group of five year olds already there. My own Zelda was standing there, listening to Groose talk. Seeing her expression, I could see she was clearly annoyed about what he was talking. I wasn't surprised; almost anything that can from that red heads mouth was garbage.

Cawlin and Strich were there as well, standing behind Groose. The trio had made up its own little group, with Groose the leader. The two basically kissed the ground he walked on. Poor Fledge was usually the victim of their pranks, and had made sure to stand far away.

Groose, upon seeing me, turned away from Zelda. "When are we going? I wanna get my Loftwing!" he complained loudly. Cawlin and Strich nodded vigorously, agreeing with their leader.

"Be patient. We are just waiting for-" at this point, a pair of footsteps came behind me. They raced towards the group, then stood beside Zelda, who grinned at her friend. "-Link," I finished.

"Alright," I say, clapping to get everyone's attention, "Let's head out. We need two more to appear, but they do not attend here. Now, remember your lessons, everyone. This is very important!" I warn them. After getting several nods in respond, I stride past the group and to the doors, swinging them open and walking outside. The group of children followed me eagerly.

As we walked out, two children were waiting for us, also around the age of five. One I knew to be the daughter of Peater, who I had hoped remembered the day today. He was always off doing some ridiculous game.

Standing next to her though, was a little girl with brown braids. Racking my memory, I believe the girl was named Orielle, brother to Parrow who was in the ceremony last year.

I did a quick head count, making sure everybody was here. "Okay," I began, "Now that everybody is here, we shall go," I said, leading the children out of the Knight's academy. We trekked through town, and around bazaar. Nobody was around town; no doubt they were all at the Goddess statue.

As we walked up stairs, I glanced back over my shoulder. I chuckled when I saw Peatrice standing a bit too close to Link, staring at him with dreamy eyes and talking nonstop. Zelda glared daggers at her, but didn't say anything. Link just didn't know what to do, so he just tried his best listen. I honestly don't think he heard a word she said.

Finally reaching the stone gate, I turned back to the group. "Everybody in a straight line, please!" I ordered politely. Groose immediately pushed everyone aside and stood at the front, his two 'friends' trailing behind him like lost puppies.

Fledge was in Groose's path and had fallen to ground. Zelda stopped when she saw him, and offered a hand to him, which he accepted. They both went in line next, Zelda in front of Fledge. Orielle walked up to Fledge, asking nicely if she could cut him. He nodded, remembering his manners and stepped back. Orielle thanked him, and started to chat with Zelda, occasionally turning to Fledge for an opinion.

Peatrice was next in line, not asking to go in front of Fledge. Link, who had waited for everybody to get line, tried not to wince when he saw who was last. He walked up to her though, somewhat slowly. She quickly pounced on him, asking questions about the Knight Academy. Before he could answer then though, she would get side tracked and go off on a whole different subject.

I cleared my throat, silencing all chatter. "Best behavior!" I remind them one last time, then turn around and enter the Isle of the Goddess. They all follow, not a single word from any of them.

As we walk in, the crowd of people already there make way for us respectively. Among the crowd, I'm glad to see Peatrice's rather chubby father. Peatrice looked pleased as well, and turned to him with a big toothy grin.

As I step foot inside the golden circle, I face the children again, telling them to stop and wait. Groose abruptly stopped, causing all the other kids to knock into each other. I shook my head, hiding a grin. I could see other people doing the same.

I faced the Goddess statue again, and strode to the middle of the circle. The crowd hushed and bowed their heads as soon as I pulled out a book from beneath my robes. I only hoped the children were doing the same.

_"The Great Goddess of the Sky, we ask of you to come down from the Heavens, and bestow upon each of these children the gift of Flight," _I said. It wasn't very long and complex, but it worked just fine. I closed the book by its spine, and put it back inside my robes.

I turned to the crowd again, who were all looking at me. Groose looked slightly disappointed when he saw that nothing happened

I backed up so I stood on the edge of the circle, then said, "Groose, please come forward." He looked up at me with amber eyes, and then tried to walk calmly up. He stood on the right side of the circle, and I was thankful he had remembered his lessons.

I took a step backwards, giving the boy space. He was nervous; his tough demeanor now gone. He fiddled his thumbs together, and his eyes flicked from side to side. He stood like for a minute or so, the crowd never saying a word.

Then, a large call sounded from the sky. All heads snapped to the source, curious. Flying down, the large bird gracefully touched down on the land, folding in his wings. It was purple grayish color, a common color for Loftwings.

A senior knight hurried up to the awestruck boy, instructing him what to do by whispering in his ear. Groose nodded, and ever so slowly, walked up to the bird. It shuffled its feathers, but bowed its head and allowed Groose to pet him. The Loftwing let out a puff of air at Groose, sticking up his hair.

The knight whispered else at Groose, and he turned to him, frightened. I smiled inwardly; it was the fateful question. The 'Get up on your bird and fly off in the sky' demand always caught people off guard.

But Groose walked up to the bird with shaking knees, still scared about the task at hand. He grabbed the bird's neck, which swung down to allow him to get up. The knight helped him up, pushing up his large feet. It was the only time riders got on their birds on land, for they had not learned to jump off the docks. That took a bunch more guts to do than it looks like.

The knight told Groose how to steer it, who made sure he was doing it right by pulling gently on each wing. The knight nodded, and then told him good luck. Stepping back, the knight let out a whoop and a small slap on the bird's body. The Loftwing cried out, and spread its gigantic wings. They beat down, and soon, the pair was up in the air. Groose clung tightly on the bird's neck as they went up, where a knight in the sky was waiting for them.

Satisfied that Groose wouldn't fall off, I just watched him then, bemused. I glanced at the kids, and they were all still watching Groose, some giggling and others in awe. After a brief lesson, Groose and the knight dived down from the sky. As soon as the Loftwing touched the ground, Groose slid dizzily down. The knight chuckled, and launched back into the sky to wait for the next beginner. Groose wavered on the ground, and Professor Owlan walked over to him, escorting him back to his peers, where he stood off to the side.

Cawlin went next (a dull green Loftwing), then Strich (a gray Loftwing had come to him). After receiving each of their Loftwings, they both stood loyally at Groose's side (who was still nauseous). At last, my little Zelda walked up, and like everybody else, she had a nervous expression.

As she stood, I saw her look at Link, regretting her choice not to have him stand with her. He gave her a thumbs up and a smile, letting her know everything was okay. She blinked gratefully at him, but then, a bright purple bird floating down. She gasped, taking in her bird. She glanced at me, but I just beckoned at the Loftwing.

Looking back at the bird, she didn't even wait for a knight to help. She cautiously walked up to the bird, and extended a hand. This was the important part; whether or not a bird will accept its master. But to my relief, the bird allowed her to scratch under his chin.

After a knight telling her how to steer, she was up and flying. Afterwards however, Zelda looked just as dizzy as Groose did. But she shook her head, and walked back to the group on her own. Orielle came next, and a beautiful auburn Loftwing came to her. She flew better than the others so far, but when it came to land she stumbled and fell down. But she just turned red and got herself up. Patting her bird goodbye, she went back to the crowd. The Loftwing let out a call to its master, and then jumped back in the sky.

Peatrice looked disappointed to leave Link, but she walked up anyway. Link let out an exhausted sigh; she had been holding his hand and arm in a death grip. Her Loftwing matched her dirty blonde hair, and was a bit on the small side, but it was perfect for her. She wasn't the most graceful flyer, but got the basics after a couple tries. She stumbled a bit after she landed, but didn't fall down. She jumped over to Link, who hugged him, knocking the breath out of him. He let out a helpful plea to me, and I smiled, calling his name.

He pried Peatrice's grip away from his waist, and hurried to the circle before she could do anything. Frowning slightly, she went to her father who hugged her around the shoulders.

Link stood up straight at the edge of the circle. He didn't seem to be afraid, just impatient. He stared up at the sky, his eyes going from bird to bird, wondering which was his.

He didn't have to wait long. Spiraling down from the sky was a red blur, which flared out its wings at the last moment. The crowd gaped as the crimson bird folded its wings against its side. I felt my eyes widen at the sight; crimson Loftwings were thought to be extinct. The last one spotted was over three hundred years ago!

The Loftwing looked at Link curiously, and then took a step forward. It lowered its neck, and pushed Link in the shoulder with its beak, not even waiting for Link to walk up to it. Link laughed, and patted it gently on the base of its throat. Not even waiting for a knight to come and show him how to steer, Link jumped up on its back, grinning ear to ear. Link bent down and tensed, and the bird did the same. He straightened up suddenly, and the bird took that as the command to go up, which it did.

I watched, flabbergasted, as Link flew around Skyloft. The other knights in the sky watched amazed as well, not even bothering to follow. The entire crowd had their eyes glued to the sight, gasping as he did a barrel roll in the sky. That move is only for experts! Laughing could be heard from Link, who was enjoying every minute of it.

I looked at the kids, who were all watching Link with wide eyes. Even Groose was shocked, his mouth wide opened. Some had a bit of jealously in their eyes, like Cawlin and even my Zelda! She was staring at her friend, a hint of jealously burning in her eyes.

At last, Link flew up into the sky, obscuring the people's view. The knights looked up, and began to steer their own Loftwings upward, but Link soon came diving down, his golden hair whipping in the wind. Spinning around in a circle to slow their descant, the crimson Loftwing landed softly.

Link jumped off somewhat sadly, and patted his bird goodbye. It nestled his shoulder again, then took off into the sky. Link watched as his Loftwing flew away, and then turned back to crowd. Acting like nothing happened, he strolled back, ignoring the shocked and envious looks he was getting.

I began to clap, reminding everybody of the last part of the ceremony. Soon, they all were clapping respectively. The children blushed, and shuffled their feet.

"Alright, now you kids better come tomorrow for how to learn to dive off, okay?" I said, pushing aside the crimson Loftwing accident for now.

They looked nervous, and most of them looked at the wooden diving platform. But they all nodded back at me.

"Good. Now, if you're not in the academy, go with your parents. I trust they will teach you about Loftwings. Everybody else, follow me. You still have to learn how to properly groom your Loftwings!" I said loudly.

Groans were all I got in response.

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